Electronic devices are ubiquitous in society, including portable electronic devices such as laptops, tablet computers, cell phones, smart phones, music players, game players, etc. An electronic device may include a free fall sensor typically implemented as an acceleration sensor. If a free fall event is detected (e.g., if a detected acceleration exceeds a threshold), the electronic device may take protective action to prevent damage to internal components before it hits the ground. For example, an electronic device may include a disk drive having a head actuated over a disk, wherein the electronic device may unload the head onto a ramp when a free fall event is detected.